


Slush Fund

by dracox_serdriel



Series: Her Dark Works [8]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Broceliande, Camelot, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Forest of Eternal Night, Giants, Land of the Giants, Magic Beanstalk, Maritime Kingdom, Smut, The Enchanted Forest, The Jolly Roger, Unquenchable Flame, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-10
Updated: 2015-12-11
Packaged: 2018-05-05 22:38:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5392871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracox_serdriel/pseuds/dracox_serdriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma and Killian depart the Maritime Kingdom and set sail on the Jolly Roger to find the tools required to travel to a Land without Magic. Emma continues undoing the work of the previous Dark Ones, but as the dead ends pile up, her convictions falter, as the next set back may plunge her into the darkness forever.</p><p><strong>Her Dark Works</strong> takes place in an alternate universe where Emma Swan was born and raised in the Enchanted Forest. One day, things go horribly wrong, and she abandons her birthright and throne to seek revenge on the Dark One. What happens when a woman born to be the Savior of the Realm joins forces with the Vengeful Pirate of Neverland?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chase Gun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> King Eric and Queen Ariel give Killian and Emma a private royal send off. A chance meeting in the marketplace leads Killian to reveal events from his youth.

Emma stared out the window, draped across a bed that was across the castle from Killian. Their argument had been loud enough to draw attention, which meant that Ariel and Eric likely knew of it now, but she teleported to her room after he fell asleep to maintain appearances.

Appearances. That was something she didn't miss about the royal life. Every movement measured, advertised, and judged. She stayed by Walsh's deathbed, refusing to leave for food or rest until he passed on. There were whispers, rumors of their love affair. Why else would a beautiful princess sit beside the werewolf boy who was only dying because he saved her life? She had loved him dearly, but they were so young. There was nothing scandalous about their relationship. 

Much the same thing happened after Graham died. She was devastated, and she had no experience hiding grief. People began to wonder if the princess had a tryst with her huntsman. Her mother tried to talk her through it, and when that failed, she arranged long treks into the woods on horseback, which appeared to be mother-daughter outings but were actually socially acceptable forms of solitude. Her father, other the other hand, asked her to join him in the library for Lessons on Diplomacy. She dreaded the idea, but it turned out that his 'lesson plans' were no more than a tumbler of scotch and a few quiet words on his part. He'd tell her about the time he faced the Siren, willing to die because Snow had told him she didn't love him, or the time he saw Snow's dead body in a glass coffin surrounded by dwarves. Afterward, he invited her to stay in the library alone, for as long as she liked, and he'd sit by the fire in case she wanted company.

Her mother had known that she needed a distraction devoid of social niceties, and her father had realized she needed hope and time alone. Emma focused so much on losing Neal, on her revenge on the Dark One, that she almost forgot how much she missed her parents.

_Almost._

Dora, the chambermaid, announced a private breakfast with the King and Queen. Emma thought it'd be a loathsome affair until she saw Killian in attendance, confirming that Ariel had gotten wind of their lover's spat. Some people took friends aside for a quiet conversation, others insisted on a relationship parley, but Queen Ariel had a long-held belief that breakfast with another couple was the ultimate remedy for stormy hearts.

Ariel provided Emma with a lovely dress, sensual yet chaste. Likewise, Killian had been dressed, and his garments were flattering, black with accents of blue.

Killian Jones, the proper gentlemen, held out her chair when she arrived, ensuring the fine fabric of her dress wasn't trapped or pinched by the chair. They must've looked like newly weds at their first stay with friends.

They had made up - twice - the night previous, but had they still being arguing, the breakfast would've quelled their anger. They ate a terrific meal and told Eric and Ariel about their adventures, including the slaying of the Great Sea Serpent.

"And for that," Eric said, "I must extend not just my thanks, but the thanks of my entire kingdom. I wish to dub you both honorary knights of the Maritime Kingdom."

Emma's heart skipped several beats. As Savior of the Realm, she had saved many people and rescued entire kingdoms, but few ever repaid her with such an honor. She assumed being born a princess disqualified her from a hero's laurels, as many royals believed them beneath her station.

"I'd be honored," she replied.

"And I as well," Killian said.

"But we have much work ahead, and a public ceremony would draw attention," Emma said.

"Nothing public about it," Eric said. "I intend to do it here and now, in the privacy of our castle, immediately after breakfast so as not to delay you."

The knighting ceremony took only a few minutes, and Eric presented them with Seals of the Maritime Kingdom and a pardon for the pirate Captain Hook for services rendered unto the realm.

Ariel presented them with a vial of fairy dust, a mason jar filled with enchanted healing water, and a torch that never stopped burning. 

"Lady Emma, Honorable Knight of the Maritime Kingdom, I bequeath you the Unquenchable Flame, which can neither burn out nor be smothered. I give this to you to guide you through all the dark places you must go," Ariel said.

Emma heard of this before, but it went by many names. Those of the Sea Kingdom called it the Underwater Torch, for its fire burned just as brightly at depth as it did on land. 

"Thank you, Ariel," she said. "It will no doubt burn brightly for us."

They changed into their traveling attire, and the King and Queen packed their gifts in ornate boxes for travel, including their new apparel. A few more words of thanks passed between them before they made their way to the Jolly Roger. They could've teleported, but she enjoyed walking with Killian through the narrow allies to the port, the salty sea air touching her face. People didn't cast a second glance at her with her hood up, and most skirted around Killian, intimidated solely by the way he carried himself. Well, that and his cutlass.

She felt a thump and staggered sideways into the pirate captain, who used the excuse to wrap his arms around her in public.

"You all right there, love?" he asked.

She nodded.

"I'm sorry, ma'am, sir," a little girl said.

She was maybe nine years old, big for her age but obviously young. Her clothing was ragged and dirty, and her hair was matted.

"That's all right, lass," he said. "Mind, if you're light-fingered, best if to come clean now. I'm afraid we're not your average marks."

The girl's expression went from downtrodden to frightened, and she shook her head, no, rapidly.

"We only did it 'cuz we haven't had a thing to eat all day," a young boy said.

The boy was a little older than the girl, also large for his age, but he couldn't be more than twelve. He stepped in front of his sister and held out Killian's small coin pouch apologetically. The pirate took it and tucked it into his pocket.

"Please don't punish her, she was jus' doin' as I told her is all," he said.

"What's your name, son?" Killian asked.

"Paul, sir, and this is my sister, Deidra."

"Well, Paul, when I was younger than you, my brother and I did much the same," he replied. "Our parents were gone, and we wound up in an old port town, though not nearly as fine as this one. I'd bump into wealthy-looking couples, give them sad eyes and a sincere apology while my brother relieved them of a few coins."

"You did?" Deidra asked, peeking from behind Paul.

"Aye, lass," Killian continued. "Until one day when we were caught and whipped. From then on, we took to begging, which paid less but suffers no reprisal."

Emma asked, "Where are your parents?"

"Our mum died," Deidra said.

"Our father's at sea with a merchant vessel," Paul said. "He'll be back any day now, and we'll be here waiting for him."

"Is that so?" Killian asked. "Then my apologies. It won't due to have the children of a sailor live in this state for a moment longer. Might I suggest a trip to the royal court?"

Deidra and Paul looked shocked an confused.

He continued in a low voice, "Go to the royal court and tell them that the Honorable Knights Killian Jones and Emma Swan sent you. Play your cards right, and you two might become squires."

Paul's eyes went wide. "You're serious," he said, dumbstruck.

"Quite," Emma replied.

Killian took out one of the blue kerchiefs that Ariel and Eric had given that very morning.

"Show them this as proof of your tale," he said.

"Thanks, mister!" Paul said.

The boy snatched up the kerchief, took his sister's hand, and ran for it.

Emma took his left hand in her right, intertwining their fingers. He gave her a smile before inclining his head and giving her arm a small tug, leading her to the ship.

* * *

Killian hadn't meant to be so forward about his past. It was a long time ago, and he hadn't spoken of it since before Liam died. He never had reason until today, when Paul and Deidra stirred something in him.

They reached the well-guarded slip where the Jolly Roger was docked. He showed a dozen soldiers his papers before they were allowed to walk onto the deck of his fine ship.

_Home at a last._

He set sail immediately, both hands on the helm for the first time in centuries. Emma stood behind him, her arms wrapped around his center and her head on his shoulder.

They stood that way until the harbor disappeared behind the horizon. Emma's hands came up over his arms, distracting him with light kisses down his neck.

"We should do it now," she whispered.

"Aye, love, ready when you are."

She disappeared, and for a few moments there was naught but him at the helm, the wind gently rocking the Jolly Roger as the cries of gulls echoed in the distance.

Purple and red billowed from down below, and then gray mist erupted on deck. When it cleared, Emma Swan stood next to a petrified mermaid statue, which he recognized from the vault of the Dark Castle. She carried a carved wooden tray that had matching boxes, decorated with hearts, which she stowed in his quarters.

"The Dark Vault has been emptied," Emma said smugly as she joined him. "And we have a few captive passengers."

"Swan, did you just bring a bloody mermaid aboard my ship?"

"She's cursed, and the only way to undo it is to cast the counter spell while lowering her into the waters where she was cursed."

"And where's that?"

"Marauder's Peril."

"I suppose we'll be making a trip of it, then?" he asked.

"If you don't mind," Emma replied. "Marauder's Peril is on the way to Broceliande. There are actually quite a few places we'll need to go."

"You couldn't ask for a better vessel for the job."

"Or a better Captain," she said, turning his head and kissing him.

He released the wheel and let his hands explore the rough fabrics, throwing her hood back so he could see her face as they kissed. The salty air, the scent of her hair, the taste of her tongue, it all rushed straight to his center. His heart thumped harder in his chest as he untied the laces of her hooded coat, which dropped to the deck unceremoniously.

She had already undone his traveling cloak and moved on to his tunic, popping each button with haste. He kissed down her jaw and neck as his left hand dropped to her trousers, unlacing them and shifting them off her hips. 

The wind blew, and the shiver her body reminded him that they were half-naked on the open sea. He dropped to his knees, trailing kisses into her chest under her open shirt as her hands ruffled his hair and caressed his face. After helping her step out of her pants and shoes, he grabbed their discarded cloaks and wrapped them around her as he regained his footing, earning him a rare look of confusion from his lovely lady.

He couldn't help the wry grin that spread across his face as he used the coats to drag her into his warmth, his vest and tunic wide open, feeling her skin on his. Her hands yanked his hair back, opening his neck to her lips and teeth, and she left a familiar hard line of bruises down his neck while shoving off both his tops. 

The wind blew again, and the icy air providing a startling contrast between Emma's warm, inviting body and the freshly freed skin of his back. He gasped at the goosebumps prickling his back as one of her fingers traced his spine, sending chills throughout his body that had nothing to do with temperature.

When had she gotten the upper hand?

Remembering his original plan, he tightened his hold on the coats and made three quick steps toward the raised hatch covering behind the helm. When his hands dipped to her hips and then cupped her ass, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his upper back, nuzzling into his shoulder. He took the opportunity to nip at her glorious pale skin under the peeking out from her collar. He lifted her off the ground, her legs curling behind him, and he slowly lowered her onto the covering, pinning the coats beneath her as he knelt above, creating his own line of bright red suck marks and purpling bruises down her chest and torso in the process.

"Killian!" she pleaded.

He was taking too long for her, and he knew it. But for a fortnight he fantasized about her just like this, nearly naked under the sun on the deck of his ship, the wind riffling her hair, and he was going to savor it. He continued down, nudging her legs open with his knees. Her hands grabbed at his neck and hair, and he peeked up at her from between her quivering thighs.

Their eyes met, and he grinned at her as he began placing kisses along her inner thighs without breaking eye contact.

"Killian..." she keened, her hips bucking.

He didn't need anymore encouragement. He moved back to her center, ready to suck and lick and rub until she screamed his name, but her impatience was worse than he thought. She yanked his hair and neck, hard, up to her face where she captured him in a kiss and wrapped her legs around his back.

He groaned at the warmth of her body spreading over his, her hands rubbing circles in his back, chasing away the cool air with their touch.

She broke the kiss and said, "It's too cold, just fuck me."

"As you wish."

He made quick work of her underwear and his trousers, careful to keep her body pinned under his as he lined himself up. He pressed into her slowly, allowing her wet folds time to stretch as he pushed down to her core, growling in pleasure as he did so.

He'd waited too long, apparently, as her walls clenched around him, and she thrust her hips into his.

"Bloody hell," he muttered.

He started to move, slowly out and back in, but Emma was having none of it. She pushed him to move faster, her hips meeting his, and soon the sound of their bodies slapping together drowned out even the wind, the pace absolutely punishing as she grappled with him, keeping him tight to her chest, their foreheads touching and eyes locked the entire time. He wrenched his left arm free, and his fingers went to work on her clit, flicking and rubbing in time.

"Killian!" she screamed, again and again his name echoing like an alarm.

Then she came, her eyes closing as her hips bucked out of control and her muscles clamped down on him. He wanted to continue, to make it last longer, but he was too close, climaxing only a few thrusts later, her name on his lips before and after as he collapsed over her in a spent heap.

Gusts of wind began in earnest, freezing their sweat and sucking all the heat away from their bodies.

"Sorry, Swan, but it appears that the winds aren't in our favor."

She gave him a tired smile as he stood and helped her up. He knelt at her feet and held out her trousers for her. She put her hands on his shoulders for balance as she stepped into them.

"You forgot my underwear," she said as he pulled her pants up and retied them.

"Did I?"

He went to don his own clothes, but she stopped him.

"Tit for tat," she said.

"You drive a hard bargain," he replied, abandoning his undergarments as he redressed.

She wrapped his cloak over his shoulders and kept close to him to fight off the chill of the wind. Together they stood at the helm, slightly disheveled but quite happy, as the Jolly Roger sailed through calm seas.


	2. Fathom Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian escorts Emma to the Broceliande to procure a magical object to aid them in their travels, but he never imagined they'd be led to a giant beanstalk that leads to the Land of the Giants.

Emma resorted to enchantments for cooking, as they no longer had a chef on board. That was how they came to have hearty chicken soup for lunch. 

"No need to stand on ceremony, Swan," he said as he joined her at the table. "Just the two of us, and you did all the labor to make us this fine stew."

"Don't know about fine."

He seemed to enjoy it, so she dug in. It was surprisingly savory.

"By the by," he said, point out the matching tray and boxes. "I noticed those boxes on deck. May I inquire about them?"

"I'm not entirely certain what's inside them," she said. "But I knew I had to take them when I saw them."

"They weren't in the dark vault."

"How do you know that?" she asked.

"Just by looking at them, love," he replied wryly. "Where did you get them?"

"The Dark Palace."

He choked on his soup.

"You went to the Dark Palace without me?" he asked.

"Relax, I had backup."

His expression darkened, but he wasn't angry. He was jealous. She put her spoon down and took his hand.

"Remember the genie trapped inside a mirror?" she asked. "His name is Sidney. My grandfather found his lamp and used one of his wishes to free him. He came back to the royal court and met my mom, who was pretty young at the time, and he fell in love with Regina."

"So naturally he wound up trapped in the confines of a mirror," Killian said.

"Yeah, he told me if I freed him, he'd give me a grand tour of the Dark Palace, including her vault," she continued. "Her _real_ vault, not the one where she hoarded all the hearts she stole. I scrapped most of the stuff in there - jinxes, blood stones, a few rare potion ingredients - luckily there wasn't much. She must've been on her last fumes."

"So you allowed a former genie to escort you to the Dark Palace, where you find hundreds of hearts torn from their bodies, most of them still beating no doubt, and yet the only thing you come away with is two boxes with contents unknown. Titillating, Swan."

"If it was an interesting story, I would've told you about it." 

"You believe that story lacks interest?" he asked. 

"Sidney's the one who told me about the Crimson Crown," she said. "It's a toadstool we can use to communicate across magical barriers."

"I know we've not done much in the way of talking, but that's hardly an excuse for my ignorance on the subject."

She relaxed. His voice was light and playful, not angry. Given his genuine interest, she indulged him. She told him about her attempts to return the stolen hearts, which resulted in several awkward conversations. Emma had never had occasion to mix up hearts before, but she learned to identify the host before attempting to return the pilfered organ.

He balked when she told them that the Merry Men had taken up residence in the Dark Castle in her absence.

"I was concerned that Peter Pan might retaliate against them," she said. "With Red and Robin Hood searching for Mulan and their children, they were vulnerable."

"They broke the toy of a powerful, ancient, and vindictive little demon," Killian said. "If any group requires a castle for protection, it's them. I'm surprised you gifted them the castle."

"I told them to rename it, since I've emptied all the dark objects," she replied. "Will Scarlet said they'd call it Sherwood Castle."

"By my count, that's the second castle you've given away, Swan," he said. "You have something against them?"

"They're drafty," she replied. "Besides, we don't need it now that we're home."

The words slipped out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying. She felt panicked, but then she saw his expression, which she could only qualify as over-the-moon.

"Well said, Swan. Well said."

Then they continued eating, though Emma never knew how she finished her stew, what with all the butterflies aflutter in her stomach.

* * *

The next weeks were filled with the strangest adventures Killian had ever experienced, which for a centuries-old pirate was saying something.

It took them five days to sail to Marauder's Peril, and though he loathed adding another dangerous mermaid to the sea, he was glad his deck was rid of her statue. Once partially submerged, Emma uttered a few words. Moments later, the mermaid splashed into the depths of the ocean. 

He insisted on an immediate departure, so they set course for the shores of Camelot, which was the only kingdom that bordered Broceliande, or the Forest of Eternal Night. Ariel's gift of a fire that could never burn out wasn't given at random, it seemed.

Killian had to carry the torch, for the Dark One's magic dampened the fire's light when she carried it. He waited at the end of a rather shoddy-looking bridge while Emma crossed it to retrieve the toadstool. On her way back, tendrils of what he could only imagine was a kraken-like sea beast attacked her. Before he could react, she snapped her fingers and a horrible screeching bubbled up from the depths as she ran to him. She crashed into him and whisked him back to the Jolly Roger.

"Bloody hell, Swan, what was that?" he asked.

"No idea. Apparently magical toadstools are hidden in a forest of complete darkness and guarded by a lake monster," she replied. "Should really add a warning about that."

"Now that we've acquired it, what are we to do with it?"

"Whoever's holding it can communicate through magical barriers," she said.

She wasn't kidding. When he held the Crimson Crown in one hand and touched an object with someone trapped inside, he could speak to them. The Mad Hatter in a Pocket Watch was actually a portal jumper named Jefferson, who made an alliance with a sorceress named Cora. Apparently their plans conflicted with those of the Dark One, so he trapped him inside a pocket watch by winding it three times. Jefferson begged for his freedom on his daughter's behalf, and for obvious reasons, Emma did not delay in setting him free.

"If there is anything I can do for you," Jefferson said.

"Can you make a portal to a Land without Magic?" she asked.

"The Dark One asked me that many times and sent me all over the realms seeking artifacts that could do just that," he replied. "I'm afraid I was unsuccessful."

"What about to the Land of Giants?" Killian asked. "Can you get us there?"

Jefferson seemed scandalized by the question, but nonetheless he replied, "I don't have my portal any longer. Cora stole it, but even if I did, I couldn't take you the Land of Giants. During the Giants War, they sealed off their realm from portals made from anything but their own magic. To this day, there is only one entrance, and I don't recommend it."

"Recommended or not, we need to know," Killian said.

"There's a place called Hangman's Island," Jefferson said. "In the old days, they banished certain criminals there instead of executing them. It has a beanstalk that reaches up into the sky, but it's not actually the sky you touch when you climb to the top. I tried to use it once, to procure a magic bean, but it's enchanted."

Emma thanked him, used one of her looking glasses to find Jefferson's daughter, Paige, and transported him there.

"So, am I right in assuming we'll be climbing a beanstalk?" Killian asked her.

"How long do you think it'll take to get to Hangman's Island?" 

"From Camelot's shores? Less than five days."

"Then, yes, Captain, we're in for a climb in about five days," she said, taking his hand. "Assuming you're up for it, of course."

"You couldn't stop me, love."

* * *

Emma wanted to ask Killian about his brother the day they left the Maritime Kingdom, but there was never a good time. Whenever a conversation about family came up, something pressing interrupted. Somehow weeks had passed, and she hadn't asked him yet.

But standing at the foot of a giant beanstalk that grew straight up into a particularly dense and unmoving band of clouds, she resolved to ask him during their climb. They put the gloves that she had enchanted to over the giant's repelling spell.

"Any chance you can just bring us up there?" Killian asked.

"No, Jefferson was right about the giants sealing it off."

"About that," he said as they started up. "Any idea how to deal with the giants once we're up there?"

"There's only one left. The others were slain in the Giants War. Prince James reported that Jack the Giant Slayer died at the hands of the biggest, fiercest, most vile giant of them all."

"Wonderful."

"Don't take him at his word," Emma warned. "Prince James was my father's brother, and he was raised to be a silver-tongued liar."

"Prince Charming had a brother? I had no idea."

"Yes, a twin brother - "

"Swan, what is it with your family and hidden relations?" he asked playfully.

"According to my dad, he and James were born into a shepherd family. My grandparents made a deal with the Dark One, giving their first born away to save the farm."

"And the son of a shepherd became Prince James?" Killian asked.

"King George and his wife couldn't conceive, so they made a deal with the Dark One for a baby boy," she replied. "My father didn't know about it until after James died. The Dark One came and asked him to pretend to be his brother to help King George, and he agreed."

"I take it the tale doesn't end there."

"No, it doesn't," she said. "But I want to ask you about your family."

"My family? That was centuries back, Swan."

"But you had a brother, didn't you?"

"Aye, I did," he replied.

They climbed in silence for a few more minutes, and she worried he wouldn't continue at all.

"His name was Liam," he said. "We traveled with our father a bit. I was young then, maybe five or six. Liam said our mother died when I was one, but I don't remember her at all. One day, as we were crossing to another kingdom, our father disappeared. The captain of the ship insisted he stole a small boat and rowed out under the cover of night, but I didn't believe him. My brother and I were consigned to work on the ship until the debt was paid. Eventually, my brother and I had to accept that our father had indeed run off in the middle of the night, leaving us behind, and to this day, I've no idea why he did it. Liam thought it was trouble with the law. We spent about year on that ship paying for our father's mistake with labor, and when our debt was fulfilled, the captain abandoned us at the next harbor. Said he was doing us a favor, giving us an opportunity, but the truth was, we'd nowhere to go." 

She asked, "And that's when you and your brother began stealing?"

"Aye," Killian replied. "I found out later that the captain offered my brother a position as cabin boy, but I was too young for a position aboard the ship. Liam couldn't afford to pay my way, even as a cabin boy, so if he took the job, I would've been left at that port alone."

"He decided to stay with you."

"He did. My father might've been a crook and a liar, but Liam was a good man and a great brother. He refused to abandon me. At the time, neither of us was old enough to join the service, and there was no one to teach us a landlocked trade. We fished when we could, stole when we couldn't, and begged for anything we could get. After a while, a sailor's wife, name of Hannah, took us in. Lonely she was. Her husband had been out at sea for two months, and she had no company nearby, no family. She started giving us bread and fruit, then she had us do chores in exchange for a place to sleep when the weather was poor. Eventually we lived there, kind of like house servants I suppose, but truth be told, there wasn't much work to be done. Certainly none to justify feeding us both, even when we supplemented her meals with fish. We were there for nigh a year before her husband came home. He didn't want us there, so he lied about Liam's identity and age so he could join the Kingdom's Navy."

"How old was he?"

"Couldn't have been fourteen," Killian replied. "Which is how old you needed to be back then to join the Navy like he did. This wasn't training and repairs at the docks, mind, but actual ship-bound service, like being a squire before becoming a knight."

"But what happened to you?"

"Fear not, this tale ends happily enough," he replied. "Since Hannah's husband - I never did learn his name - lied and said we were born to a sailor who died at sea, we had special privileges. Sailors tend to raise sailors, and my brother and I knew enough about ships to sell the lie. I was too young to join properly but old enough to be a cabin boy. I hated that sour husband of hers, but if it hadn't been for him, Liam and I would've been separated."

"You mean if he'd waited and jointed the navy at fourteen?" she asked.

"Aye. We were from a different kingdom, the children of a thief, though I believe before that, he was a barkeep," he replied. "Can't be sure, Swan. That was a long time ago."

"But Liam isn't around any longer?" she asked.

"Aye, died centuries ago from Dreamshade, but that's another tale for another time."

* * *

Killian didn't mind talking about his brother, not with Emma, but he wasn't sure if she was to learn how he became a pirate. Eventually that story would lead to how he met Milah, which in turn would require an explanation as to why he whisked her away and left Baelfire in the care of his father. He had no desire to tell her of his past failures nor make feeble excuses for them. Not yet.

And certainly not when they were about to face the biggest most ruthless giant that ever lived.

A very long time ago, the giants traded with his kingdom. He remembered that special crews sailed to the Giant's Realm and back, but the Giants War came and went while he sailed the seas of Neverland. The news he did receive on the matter was spotty and outlandish. Why would a peaceful, albeit quite large, race of farmers suddenly become violent thugs? And should they decide to slaughter all the kingdoms of the Enchanted Forest, how would they defend themselves? Giants were intelligent, magical, and thirty feet tall. 

It took them the better part of the day to climb the beanstalk, and when they reached the top it opened into a cobblestone street that led to a castle of enormous proportions.

"Bloody hell," he said.

"You can say that again."

"Well, now that we're here, what's next?" Killian asked. "Sneak in quietly and steal the compass?"

"I think we should talk to this giant."

"Talk to the most dangerous giant of them all?" he asked.

"That's what my vindictive uncle said about him," she replied.

"Even villains tell the truth on some occasions, Swan. One common example is when they run into someone more terrible than themselves," he said.

"The Magic Compass isn't basic treasure, something you'd leave anywhere," Emma explained. "He must know where it is. You need to speak with him."

"Me?" Killian asked. "I'm flattered that you think my charms would work on a giant, love, but I'm fairly certain that I'd only provoke his wrath."

"Giants have magic," she said. "He will probably know the Dark One when he sees her. Besides, I'm not sure how my temper will fare."

"Wouldn't want to risk incinerating him before we acquire the compass," he replied with a smile. "Very well, Swan. I'll speak with this giant. Any idea where he might be?"

"We'll have to draw him out," she said. "And you should be at eye level."

Before he could ask, she pointed to one of the statues that flanked the entryway of the castle. It was a good thirty feet high and in the likeness of a spry young man with a scruffy beard and a stout helmet.

Emma teleported with him to the top of the statue. She pressed a small necklace with an opal pendant into his hands.

"This only works for short distances," she explained. "And not very well. Squeeze the pendant, and it'll teleport you."

"Always something up your sleeve," he said as he pocketed it.

"Don't use it too many times," she said. "It'll take you shorter and shorter distances and eventually run dry."

"I promise only to use it should the situation turn dire."

She kissed him and teleported away. Her taste lingered on his lips as purple, gray, and red mists vanished after her. 

He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, "Hello! Hello!"

The world shook so fiercely that he had to put his arms out to balance himself on the ever-shifting statue. The sound of enormous feet falling became louder and louder until it was covered by a roaring shout of frustration. 

"AHHHHHH!"

The giant ran out of the castle and past Killian into the courtyard where he searched the area with a very special kind of fury.

The man was over thirty feet tall, wide as three oak trees, with long auburn hair and beard to match. His eyes were the size of a carriage wheel and a deep, dark brown. He wore simple work garments: a sleeveless tunic, a hooded vest, and coveralls over solid boots. Were it not for his massive size, Killian could've easily mistaken him for a farmer.


	3. Taken Aback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Emma's request, Killian speaks with Anton the giant and tries to persuade him to trade the Magic Compass. Will the actions of the previous Dark One stunt their progress?

"Hello!" Killian yelled. "Can you hear me?"

He knew the answer when the giant turned to him. The expression on his face was far from jovial.

"Greetings!" Killian said.

"Stop. Yelling. At. Me!" the giant said, punctuating each word with a step that shook the land.

"My apologies," he replied in a normal tone. "I've never spoken to a giant before."

"With good reason!" the giant replied. He stood so close to the statue that Killian had to plant his feet so as not to be knocked over by the gust of wind that accompanied his words. "What are you doing in my home?"

"My name is Killian Jones," he replied. "Might I ask yours?"

"Like you care."

"Indeed I do. I came here to speak with you."

"My name is Anton," the giant said. "What could a human possibly have to say to me?"

"I'd heard tales of this place," he replied. "That you had many a wonderful crop here. Things beyond our imaginings."

"We did until humans like you came and destroyed it all!"

Anton grabbed Killian, his hand lifting him up but not crushing him. It was uncomfortable wrapped in the fingers of a giant with his feet constantly slipping out of place.

"I'm sorry for that. Legend also has it that you have a Magic Compass," Killian continued. "And I was wondering if I might trade for it."

"Trade?" Anton repeated. "Last time humans came to this realm, they did exactly the same thing. They acted kind and offered me gifts and pretended to be my friend, but all they wanted were our magic beans."

"You have magic beans?"

"Haven't you been listening?" Anton asked. "I told you, the humans destroyed it all and killed most of us in the process. They wanted to steal the magic beans, so they could pillage other realms just like they did ours! So my brothers and I burned them all, every last one. We razed the fields and salted the earth so they wouldn't grow here ever again, and it was only then that your people left us alone!"

"Not my people," Killian said. "At the time I was in another realm. I was quite sorry to hear of it."

"Yeah, now that the magic beans are gone, you're sorry."

"I'm referring to the music of the giants," Killian said. "Legend has it that your people had songs that could make anyone dance, relieve melancholy, and even cause the sky to rain."

"Not anymore."

Killian wasn't sure what else to say. He seemed angry about what had happened, but he wasn't trying to kill him. But so far, Anton revealed that there was at least one thing on which they agreed, so he decided to talk about that.

"Listen, mate, I know what it is to believe in something - a friendship, a kingdom - to believe that people are honorable only to discover, in the worst way possible, that they are not," he said.

"And what way is that?" Anton asked.

"I lost my brother," he replied. "We were sent on a special mission, told to retrieve an herb that had powerful healing properties. We believed our king, but when a local warned us that the plant we sought was no healing herb but a dreadful poison, I had my doubts. But Liam, my brother, he believed in our king. He believe that he was a good man that would never send us on a mission of such ill intent. To prove it to me, he cut his forearm with its thorns, poisoning himself with Dreamshade. He fell almost immediately."

"That's a good story," Anton said after a pause. "But it's just a story. So what if your king is as bad to his own people as he was to us? Does that make us friends?"

"Indeed not," Killian replied. "Someone I care a great deal about is trying to go to a Land without Magic, and so far our work has been fruitless. The Magic Compass you possess, if you'd be willing to trade it to me, could help us a great deal."

"Who is he?" Anton asked. "Did he come with you?"

"Aye, she did, but she thought it best to stay back."

Anton began to squeeze him, and he struggled to breath.

"You mean she's sneaking around stealing from me!" Anton roared.

"No! She's... been cursed with... dark magic!" he gasped. 

Remembering the pendant, he stuck his hand in his pocket and held it tightly, thinking of Emma. With no mists or illusions for cover, he simply blinked out of the giant's hand and down to the ground. He took a deep breath.

Anton lifted his left foot, ready to stomp on Killian, but Emma appeared in a shower of grey and purple sparks.

"STOP!" she shouted, her hands raised.

It was as if they were surrounded by a tiny bubble. The giant couldn't step on them or pick them up. Each time he tried, he was repelled ever so slightly.

"AHHHHH!"

He began to stomp and roar, shaking everything around them.

"Please!" Emma shouted. "We're only here to trade for the compass!"

"You think I don't know the Dark One when I see her?" Anton said. "For one second I thought this guy was okay, but he's just a lackey for you, isn't he?"

Killian was offended and ready to protest, but Emma stopped him.

"He's my friend. My only friend," she said. "Please, my son, he's just thirteen, and he was banished to a Land without Magic. If I go there, I can be with him, and I won't be the Dark One anymore. When I die, the darkness would die with me."

"Yeah, right," Anton said. "Maybe you can stop me from touching you, but you can't escape the truth. Come with me and let me show you what the last Dark One did."

He walked back into the castle. 

Killian took her hand, and they followed. It was hard to keep up with a speed-walking giant, but he was easy to find again after he disappeared around a corner or through a passage. They walked for ages until they came to a titanic dining hall where there sat nine stone giants.

"Bloody hell," Killian said. "He petrified them."

"That's right," Anton said as he sat at the head of the table. "The Dark One did this."

Emma teleported them to the tabletop for a better look. From all appearances, the giants had been having a meal when they were turned to stone.

"Why did he do this?" she asked.

"Why? Because he was the Dark One. Because he could," Anton replied. "He came here, to our castle, and demanded a magic bean. Trouble was, we had none left and no way to grow more because of the Giants War. I told him that. So he came in here while my siblings and friends ate and turned them all to stone. He told me that they'd stay like this until I gave him a magic bean. I told him I couldn't. I explained. I begged. But he didn't care. He told me to call him when I had a bean and then he walked out. He left. He left this. He left me alone here, surrounded my dead friends and family."

"I'm sorry," Emma said. 

Killian was surprised to see her tears, though he shouldn't have been. He put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"You're sorry?" Anton asked. "Are you? Because the last Dark One climbed that beanstalk, same as you. He told me his son was stuck in a Land without Magic. Same as you!"

"We're not the same!" she said. "He was the one who sent my son and parents into another realm!"

She closed her eyes and put out her hands, her lips whispering something he didn't understand. He stepped back, giving her space to do her magic.

"Wanna kill me? Go ahead. The last Dark One might as well had because there are no more magic beans. None. And whatever your real reasons for wanting this compass," Anton said as he yanked a chain around his neck, revealing a compass far too small for any giant. "Too bad. I've lost my family, you deserve to lose yours too!"

Her eyes flew open just in time to see the giant crush the compass in his oversized fingers and toss it into his mouth, swallowing it down in one gulp. 

Killian's breath hitched in shock. Anton's face showed no signs of concern or joy. If anything, he seemed resolved to his untimely demise, which was good given he just destroyed what might be the only way for them to find her son. Emma fought darkness better than anyone Killian ever knew, but even she had her limits.

"Anton," Killian said. "Run, mate. Run!"

Anton gave him a curious look, something between disbelief and contempt, as if fleeing the Dark One was beneath a giant. But then he pushed his chair from the table and went for the nearest door, shaking the table with each step.

Killian turned to Emma. Her features were ablaze with fury with sparks of red and gold crackling across her skin.

"Emma, love," he said. "There are other realms, and we will find your boy. Think of Henry, Emma. Think of Henry."

Smoke rose from around her feet. He closed in on her, wrapping her in his arms, holding her tight.

"Killian, go," she said through gritted teeth. 

"Your magic can't kill me." 

"Killian, please."

"I won't abandon you, Swan."

He wouldn't die. Her grounding wire had already proved its worth in that regard. But it would hurt. A lot. He held on to her as if his life depended on it. Emma screamed. It was a wordless sound exploding from her mouth that started as a continuous shout, evolving into a wail and escalating to a screech.

He held on to her when fire erupted out of her, surrounding them. He clung to her as smoke blanketing them, choking his lungs. He gripped her even tighter as the flames charred his flesh, and he bit down on his sleeve so he wouldn't scream, though he doubted anyone would hear it in the cacophony. He continued to hang onto her when the pain sapped his strength and he began to lose consciousness.

Suddenly it all stopped.

Emma fell to her knees, sobbing, and he followed, unable to keep himself up. Her expression showed him that she was defeated rather than angry. 

Her hand cupped his cheek, putting her forehead to his, tears streaming down her face.

"We will find Henry, Emma," he repeated.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. 

"Whatever for?" he asked. "I've not a scratch on me."

He stood and helped her to her feet. She wiped the tears from her eyes and put up her hands, her lips fluttering faster this time as she stared at the stone giants seated around the now-scorched table.

"Swan, what are you doing?"

She wheeled her arms through the air, casting off something like a wave of light or fire.

"Proving him wrong," she said. "Let's go. We've got some climbing to do."

He caught a glimpse of stone cascading off the faces of the giants as the curse receded before black and purple mist surrounded them. 

_Ever the Savior._

She teleported them right to the beanstalk, and she immediately started descending.

"Swan, don't we - " he began.

She interrupted, "I need to get out of here right now, Killian."

"Aye, love, after you."

* * *

Emma was furious.

_What would Henry think?_

She hated the idiot giant who swallowed the only lead she and Killian had, and she despised herself for being angry with Anton. His grievance was reasonable enough, and he had more than enough reason to distrust the Dark One.

But most of all, she loathed herself for hurting Killian. She hadn't meant to ignite the table, but she couldn't control it. He could've run and escaped, but instead he stayed by her.

_What would Henry think?_

They climbed down the beanstalk quickly without a word passing between them, and she was glad for the silence. What would she say to him? Sorry I nearly burned you alive?

They arrived at the bottom of the beanstalk far more quickly than she imagined. Killian led her to the beach where they dragged the gig ashore.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"I should be asking you that. You were the one nearly killed."

"Thanks to your grounding wire, I'm no worse for the wear."

"Am I interrupting?"

She turned to see Ursula. Her tentacles grabbed the gig and tossed it into the water.

"What're you doing?" Killian asked. 

"I'm here to say thank you," Ursula replied.

"You've a funny way of showing it."

"Relax captain," she said as her tentacles adjusted the gig so they could board it. "I really did come here to thank you for returning my mother."

"You told me your mother was killed by a pirate," he said.

"She was. He used magic powder to turn her to stone," she said. "Her name is Amphitrite. She told me that you two were the ones who restored her."

"Well, then, you're welcome," Killian said.

"I found this at the bottom of the ocean," she said to Emma handing her a corked bottle with a message inside of it. "Careful with that. There's magic inside. Figured you might be the only person I could trust with it."

Emma handled the bottle, and the Sea Witch was right, it did contain magic of some kind. She would have to examine it later, when she was in a better place. 

"That's not all. People have been looking for you," Ursula said to Emma. "You've camouflaged that ship quite well. Figured I could pass the message along: Queen Eva II requests your immediate aid."

"Bloody hell, Swan isn't that - "

"My sister?" she interrupted. "Yes. My kingdom must be under attack."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fear not! For Her Dark Works continues with Episode #9 "[The Solar Barque](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5406590/chapters/12490865)."


End file.
